1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a communication system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method for providing a service in a communication system.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, the development trend of communication systems is to provide a wireless packet data service beyond the traditional voice service. Thus, the communication systems provide services with a variety of Quality of Service (QoS) classes.
FIG. 1 illustrates the configuration of a typical communication system.
Referring to FIG. 1, the communication system includes an Internet service/content server 110, an Internet 120, a communication network 130, and a receiver 140 for receiving services from the Internet service/content server 110 and the communication network 130.
The Internet service/content server 110 is an application server for providing various Internet services/content. The Internet service/content server 110 includes an Internet Protocol TeleVision (IPTV) server 101 for providing an IPTV service, a music/video streaming server 102 for providing a music/video streaming service, a search server 103 for providing a search service, an advertising server 104 for providing an advertisement service, and an other-service server 105.
The communication network 130 has a Radio Access Station (RAS) (or Base Station (BS)) 111, an Access Service Network GateWay (ASN-GW) 112 for handling Medium Access Control (MAC) functions, a Core Service Network (CSN) 113 for handling connectivity to a network layer, a billing server 114, a QoS server 115, a user profile server 116, a device capability server 117, and a location information server 118.
The receiver 140 can be a Mobile Station (MS), a Personal Computer (PC), a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a Portable Multimedia Player (PMP), or a camera. For a more clear understanding, the following description is made in the context of the receiver 140 being an MS.
The Internet service/content server 110 is connected to the Internet 120 and provides a variety of content services to the MS 140 over the Internet 120, inclusive of the IPTV service, the music/video streaming service, the search service, the advertisement, and other services. That is, the Internet service/content server 110 is connected to the MS 140 at an IP address provided by the CSN 113 of the communication network 130 and provides content services to the MS 140 through the Internet 120.
FIG. 2 illustrates an operation for providing a service to an MS in an Internet service/content server in a communication system.
Referring to FIG. 2, it is assumed that the MS 140 receives an IPTV service from the Internet service/content server 110, for example, the IPTV server 101. Even though the MS 140 wants to receive an IPTV service with a desired QoS class, the IPTV server 101 provides the MS 140 with only a service with a QoS class supported by the communication network 130. In other words, an IPTV service is provided to the MS 140 not with the desired QoS class but with a QoS service class preset in the communication network 130. For example, the IPTV service takes the form of a best effort service.
As described above, when the MS is to receive a content service, for example, an IPTV service in the communication system, it cannot receive the content service with a desired QoS class.